Royal Observatory, Greenwich

　　The Royal Observatory, Greenwich was established by King Charles II of England in 1675 in Greenwich, London. Its foundation stone was laid on August 10 of the same year. At that time, the king also created the position of Astronomer Royal (the first to hold this post was John Flamsteed), who served as the director of the observatory. His role was dedicated to refining star charts and the positions of celestial bodies in order to accurately determine longitude, thereby perfecting the art of navigation. The observatory is situated on a hill within Greenwich Park, overlooking the River Thames in London. Here, visitors can see the famous Prime Meridian and even try standing with one foot in each hemisphere.

　　Today, the Royal Observatory, Greenwich is part of the National Maritime Museum. It houses a collection of astronomical and navigational instruments, including the renowned H4 marine chronometer and its three predecessors, both winners of awards and designed by John Harrison. The exhibition also features other historically significant man-made timekeeping devices that provided precise timing for astronomy and navigation, such as the mid-20th century Soviet-made Fedchenko clock (once recognized as the most accurate pendulum clock and produced in multiple replicas).

　　The Royal Observatory, Greenwich also houses the largest telescope in Britain at the time — a 28-inch refracting telescope built by Grubb in 1893. This telescope was located in the observatory’s dome, which now stands as a historic structure. In the visitor center located beyond the main observatory building is an early electronic exhibit. In February 2005, a £15 million renovation project began to provide a new planetarium along with additional exhibition galleries and educational facilities. The 120-seat Peter Harrison Planetarium opened in May 2007.

　　Royal Observatory, Greenwich Reason to visit: The world's most famous observatory Continent: Europe【Europe】 Country/Region: Britain[Britain] Province/State: Greater London [Greater London] City: Greenwich [Greenwich]